THE YEAR'S BEST POETRY FOR CHILDREN: CLiPPA 2019 SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

Digital version – browse, print or download

How to print the digital edition of Books for Keeps: click on this PDF file link - click on the printer icon in the top right of the screen to print.

BfK Newsletter

Receive the latest news & reviews direct to your inbox!

Email: *

Subscribe

Unsubscribe

BfK No. 236 - May 2019

This issue’s cover illustration features Rumblestar, book one in The Unmapped Chronicles series by Abi Elphinstone illustrated by Carrie May. Thanks to Simon and Schuster for their help with this May cover.

The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) has announced the 2019 shortlist for their poetry award, CLiPPA (The Centre for Literacy in Primary Poetry Award). Children’s poetry is booming and there were a record number of entries for the CLiPPA, the only award for children’s poetry.

The judging panel for CLiPPA 2019 compromised poet and author A.F. Harrold, CLiPPA 2018 winner Karl Nova, Susannah Herbert, director of Forward Arts Foundation and National Poetry Day, poet Ruth Awolola, and Charlotte Hacking, Programme Leader for the CLPE. The panel had a record number of submissions to discuss for this year’s award, demonstrating an increase in poetry collections and verse novels being published at the moment.

A.F. Harrold, Chair of Judges for CLiPPA 2019 said: ‘For five judges, coming at this from five different directions, it was a relief to see that there was some crossover and agreement on what ‘a good book of poetry for kids’ looked like. The shortlist we came up with pleased us for its range, both of writers, intended age groups and subject matter. Each of the judges have books on the list that we felt strongly about and loved and championed from the outset.’

Louise Johns-Shepherd, Chief Executive at CLPE said: ‘At CLPE we want to make poetry integral to the school curriculum and for it to be in every school, classroom, library, corridor and book bag. This shortlist – selected from the biggest number of submissions in the award’s history -shows such a range and breadth of what poetry for children is and can be and recognises a real variety of voices and styles. We look forward to more children, teachers and schools discovering these works through our shadowing scheme.’

The judges also wanted to give special mention to England Poems from a School (Picador), edited by Kate Clanchy, in acknowledgement of the raw, emotional and yet extremely accomplished collection of poems written by group of teenagers from a small comprehensive school in Oxford.

The winner of CLiPPA 2019 will be announced at a ceremony at the National Theatre in central London on Wednesday 3rd July 2019. The event will be attended by children from across the UK who have participated in the CLiPPA shadowing scheme in their schools in the run up to the award.

The award is sponsored by ALCS, the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society.